Having worked steadily through the '70s on television and in blaxploitation films, African-American actress Margaret Avery did not become a star until she was cast as Shug in Steven Spielberg's adaptation of The Color Purple (1985), a performance that won her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Though the quality of her films briefly improved, her stardom was only fleeting and she returned to less visible work.
Margaret Avery
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- Worked as a first grade teacher at Anthony Chabot Elementary School in Oakland, California before becoming an actor.
- Studied at the Judy Davis Voice Studio in Oakland.
- Made her big screen debut in 1972.
- Received the lifetime achievement award for her theatrical productivity by the Ensemble Theater in Houston.
- Is a public advocate for the Lupus Foundation of America.